Abstract : This report describes the results of a study and experimental evaluation which were undertaken to compare methods for estimating the Laplace transfer function of a time-invariant linear system when given only the normal input and output of the system which has been obscured by noise and is in sampled-data form. In the theoretical study the transfer-function estimation methods described in current literature were reviewed. The most promising of these methods are given in the report. In addition to the current techniques, the study has developed an improved method for estimating the Laplace transform in certain situations. The experimental evaluation was made by using the most promising current techniques and the new techniques in two typical examples. The results of this evaluation indicate that certain of the current techniques are decidedly superior to others and that the new method offers a definite improvement over previous methods for estimating the Laplace-transfer function from sampled data. (Author)